Whenever I go to a Thai restaurant, one of the appetizers I consider necessary is fresh rolls, the not-fried version of a regular spring roll.

After attempting to make this recipe, I appreciate its disguised simple look, because rice paper takes some patience and time to master. It took me a couple tries to get used to how fragile and sticky the paper was, but after the third attempt, I started to become a lot more comfortable. The outcome is so tasty that the effort is totally worth it!

I’m also a big fan of spicy foods, so I added a bit more hot sauce to my peanut sauce. If you’re not a spice fan, you can also leave this ingredient out or put a bit less in.

I added shredded carrots and some steamed tofu to the rolls, and they turned out really well. The basil and cilantro give it an extra boldness and pair really well with the peanut sauce. It was a great appetizer on New Year’s Eve, and everyone raved about the sauce. A tasty and healthy snack to start off 2013.